Candide: Novel Summary: Chapters 23-24

Chapter 23: Now on the way to England, Martin explains to Candide the characteristics of the English. He says that though the English may be less crazy than the French (who they have been at war with for years over "a few acres of snow near Canada."), they are more prone to depression. Nearing the harbor, both men witness the execution of an English admiral who "didn't kill enough [French]."
Hearing this, Candide is taken aback and consequently refuses to set foot on English soil, instead arranging for his passage directly to Venice. Finally reaching Venice a few days later, Candide resurrects a lesser version of Pangloss' optimism, saying, "all goes as well as possible."
Chapter 24: Now in Venice, Candide makes his first priority to find Cacambo, hoping that he has brought Cunegonde. After a few days of fruitless searching, he grows despairing, finally resolving to Martin that Cunegonde is dead, that "all is but illusion and disaster."
Turning a moment from his deep sadness, Candide sees a monk and a prostitute walking down the street, arm in arm. Candide bets Martin that the couple is happy. After he invites them to dinner, Candide realizes that the young girl is Paquette, the maidservant to his old baroness and the woman who gave Pangloss the STD. Quickly she fills Candide in on the miseries of her own life. The monk also explains how he is quite unhappy with his lot in life. After hearing all of this, Candide is forced to admit that Martin has won the bet.
After giving both Paquette and the monk some money, Candide begins to arrange for his and Martin's next meeting: a meeting with Senator Pocourante, apparently "a man who has never known a moment's grief."

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